Adjustable journal-bearing.



B. J. CARTER.

ADJUSTABLE JOURNAL BEARING.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 4, 1906.

962,124., Patented June 21,1910.

UNrrnD sfrnrns "PATENT :BYRON J. DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNCR TO MOTOR CAR CO., OF DETROIT,

MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

ADJUSTABLE J ORNAL-BEARIN G.

Speoication of Letters Patent.

Application led September 4, 1906. Serial No. 333,235.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, BYRON J. CARTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinAdjustable Journal- Beal-in s; and I do declare the following to be a fu l, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a self-adjustable shaft bearing, especially designed for supporting the opposite ends of a transverse shaft mounted in the frame of a motor vehicle, and consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out particularly in the claims.

The object of the invention is to provide simple and efficient means for maintaining the bearing members always parallel with the axis of the shaft, obviating the binding of the journals of the shaft should the frame supporting the bearing parts lbecome sprung or twisted vso as to force the bars thereof out of parallel relation.

The above object is attained by the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawin s, in which gure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a motor vehicle frame between the side bars of which is ournaled a transverse shaft in accordance with my invention, a friction transmission device being employed in connection with said shaft that the application of the invention may be more erfectly understood. Fig. 2 is an enlarged pian view of the shaft and bearing at one. end, other, parts being broken away. Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the shaft as on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical section as on line 4 4 of Fig. 3, the shaft ap earing in elevation.

Referring to the dliaracters of reference, 1 designates the side bars of a motor vehicle frame which are of the ordinary channel iron structure, as shown in Fig. 4. Crossing between the side bars of said frame is a transverse shaft 2. Each end of said shaft is rovided with a reduced portion 3 onto which is fitted a steel bearin block 4 which becomes the journal of the s aft and which is providedwith a central channel 5 that serves as a race way for the bearing rollers. Lying in said channel of the journal are the rollers 6 which support the end of the shaft. Secured 'many suitable manner to the side bars of the frame in transverse alinement are the brackets 7 having the laterally projecting arms 8 extendin r in op osite directions provided with the rig it ang e end portions 9. Formed through the arms 8 are the horizontal slots 10 through which pass the bolts l1, the heads 12 of said bolts engaging the rear sides of said arms. Mounted upon the outer face of the arms 8 is a slidable block 13 having at the central portion thereof an annular shell 14 concavoconvex in cross section, which forms a part of the case for the bearing, the complementary portionof said case being formed by the concave-convex ring l5 whlch is secured against the outer edge of the shell by means of the transverse bolts 16 which pass through the ears 17 on said shelll and through the registering ears 1,8 on said ring, said shell and ring formin a bearing socket of globular formation. y dividing said shell in the manner described, provision is made for inserting the bearing parts therein.

Lying within the bearing shell or socket is an annular bearing member 19 having al conveXed or rounded outer wall concentric with the wall of said socket so as to permit of a tilting movement of said bearing member within the socket in any direction concentric with the curved wall thereof, on the plan of a ball and socket joint. Lying within the annular bearing member is a thrust ring 20 that engages the inner ends of the rollers 6; also conn'ed within said bearing member is a steel bearing ring 21 upon which said rollers are adapted to roll. The outwardly projecting flange 22 of the bearing member. 19 is internally threaded and screwing into the end of said bearing member is a dust cap 23 which abuts against the outer edge of the bearing ring 21 to retain it in place. Confined between the dust cap and the journal 4 is a dust excluding washer 24.

The bolts 11 pass through the opposite ends of the slidable block 13 and receive the nuts 25. Threaded in and passing through the right angle end portions 9 of the arms 8 are the adjusting screws 26 which bear against the opposite ends of the block 13.

Patented June 21', 1910.'

i shaft and preventin By loosening the nuts 25 and .nanipulatin the screws 26, vthe block 13 may be adjuste A longitudinally to place the opposite ends of the bearin s of the axle in transverse alinement; sai movement of the block 13 being provided for by means of the slots 10 in the arms 8 through which the bolts 11 pass.

It will now be understood that should the o posed bars 2 ofthe frame be forced out o? horizontal alinement, the bearin members 19 will tilt within the lobular earing sockets to accommodate sai change in the osition of said bars and maintain the bearing rollers always parallel with the axis of the shaft, obviating the springin of the friction inci ent to a cramped bearing. n like manner should the frame become racked, the bearing members will so ad'ust themselves as to prevent straining the s aft and causing undue friction in the bearings.

Upon the shaft 2 is a friction wheel 27 splined thereon and movable across the face of a power transmitting friction disk 28 which is connected with the shaft 29 of the to stand exactly parallel with the face of said disk, which justment is accomplished by the arrangement of parts herein described.

Havin thus fully set forth my invention, what I c aim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, iszable inner sections to 1. The combination with the lxed parallel su ports,v of globular bearing cases mount on said supports, means or adjusting said bearing cases laterally, a shaft having journals on its opposite ends, said journals lying in said cases, spherical bearing members rotatable within the cases and embracin said journals, bearing rollers interposed etween the journals and bearing members, ,the bearing cases havin removermit of the introduction of the spherical earing members.

2. The combination with the side bars of a frame, of brackets secured thereto, slidable bearing blocks adjustably mounted on said brackets, said bearing blocks having globular bearin shells, a spherical bearing member in eac of said bearing shells, a transverse shaft having journals at each end thereof, said journals lying in'said bearing members respectively, and bearing rollers interosed between sald bearing members and sai journals.

3. The combination of a globular bearin f l,case formed of'separable parts, a spherica bearing member rotatable in said case having an aperture therein, a journal within the bearing member, bearing rollers interposed bet-ween the bearing member and journal and a dust cap fitted into the bearing member and embracing the shaft of the journal. y

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

V BYRON J. CARTER. Witnesses:

E. S. W I. G. Howm'rr. 

